“Sometimes I hear Mitch Daniels and I thought, maybe I oughta back him because it would be an opportunity to show that people who don’t have charisma could be elected president,” Grassley joked in a conference call with reporters today.

Grassley, who was asked about the importance of personal magnetism as opposed to policy in a presidential race, later made a point of saying his comments were “tongue in cheek.”

He went on to praise the Indiana governor, who has not ruled out a presidential race but has yet to take any formal steps toward launching a campaign.

“He seems to be a very, very good governor, has a good record. He had a good record as OMB director,” Grassley said. “He is a person of substance and substance matters. … particularly at a time of 9 percent unemployment.”

Grassley said his comments don’t amount to an endorsement. Asked whether he’s leaning toward any of the presidential candidates, he said reporters should ask him after Labor Day.

He also dismissed suggestions that the GOP field needs more star power. He said President Obama is very weak because of high unemployment and other economic factors.

“So I think we’ve got a good group of people out there and I’m not concerned at all of people who pull out, because if they don’t really want to be president of the United States, they don’t have any business running and they’re just eating up valuable time of people that want to compete.”